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The CW May Add Supergirl To Its Arrow/Flash Universe

The explosion of comic book movie/TV properties was expected as superheroes continued to dominate the box office, but few expected Warner Bros. to act this fast. With Arrow, The Flash, Gotham, and Constantine all coming to viewers this fall on a range of networks, word recently broke that Superman's own cousin Supergirl would be next up. Now it seems that producer Greg Berlanti has confirmed the project is in development, but is still in very early days.

Now, it sounds as though that might not be the case. Speaking with CBR during PaleyFest 2014 - when he wasn't discussing the arrival of Wally West on The Flash - Greg Berlanti confirmed that in addition to his role as executive producer on both Arrow and its spin-off, Supergirl was indeed being developed. But those hoping to hear some extra details or announcements will have to be patient, since Berlanti's comments show he's not ready to discuss it:

"We're just starting to work on it. We haven't gone to the networks yet, so... I'll be happy, very excited to talk about it once we know where its home will be and that kind of stuff, but not at this moment. "

Going by Berlanti's comments, it sounds as though the series is still a long way off from making it to TV screens on any network, but also that he has yet to take the series to The CW for consideration. And if that's the case, it stands to reason that the show could be integrated into the budding Arrow/Flash universe.

There's always the chance that The CW could run with the show as something of a spiritual successor to Smallville, and clarifying that there is no overlap between its story and that of the other shows on the network. But at this point in the game, that seems like missing out on a golden opportunity to inject some Kryptonian into their DC Comics TV continuity.

How that would be accomplished believably - or how Arrow and The Flash could compete with Kara Zor-El's superpowers - is a mystery, but the showrunners do have some room to maneuver. It seems that the character will be left out of DC's Man of Steel movie universe, despite being teased as an ancient Kryptonian. So with a blank slate, any number of re-imaginings could be used to fit Kara alongside Oliver Queen and Barry Allen.

For all we know, a Supergirl series could begin on Krypton in the months leading up to its destruction, concluding the first half of its season with her arrival on Earth. Besides giving the writers time to work out the details, a twist like that would give the network yet another one of the epic crossover events they're clearly fond of. That's just speculation, but those who view the idea with skepticism shouldn't rule it out just yet.

Of course, there's the outside chance that The CW has already passed on the idea, and Berlanti is simply keeping the details to himself. But whatever the case, plenty of other networks will be looking to nab the rights to a hero in the "Superman" family. With Fox already reaping the rewards of Gotham early buzz, and NBC taking a bite out of Sleepy Hollow with a supernatural serial of their own, perhaps the network will choose to up their game with a bone fide superhero.

We'll keep you updated as more information arrives, but for now, what do you think of mixing in a character like Supergirl to The CW's line-up? Does it seem like a no-brainer to carry on the Smallville legacy, or the kind of show that should be set within its own universe? Sound off in the comments.